In Progress

The article, presented as a guide for prevention professionals, focuses on differentiating immigrants by legal status, migration experiences, and cultural values and urges prevention professionals to consider all three when designing prevention strategies for individuals. The article is written for service providers in the field of prevention and assumes that readers are familiar with the concepts of “prevention” and “intervention” in public health. The argument assumes that immigrants are more likely to be “at-risk” and need social services as they adjust to life in the US.

The article introduces a number of technical definitions used to distinguish the legal status of immigrants. An immigrant who leaves their country of origin because of political persecution and who seeks protection or refuge in a host country is known as an asylum seeker or asylee. An unaccompanied refugee minor is a person under 18 who is fleeing their country of origin because of danger without accompaniment of an adult and without the option of returning. A family where the parents in the family lack legal status but one or more child is born in the US and has citizenship is known as a mixed status family. The major point made is that three important factors can fundamentally alter the services an individual can either access or benefit from: legal status, migration experience, and strength of cultural values.

Inspired by the public health perspective of prevention, the author draws on her background working with immigrant populations and legal education to make her case. The study cites a variety of statistics from primary studies and policy reports to argue that immigrants are a sizeable and varied group in the US who are particularly susceptible to mental health problems.

The article is very focused on persuading readers to consider the effects of three aspects of immigration, but doesn’t delve deeply enough to offer targeted techniques to deal with them. Brief at three pages, the piece could easily be cut to two pages and still convey the same amount of information. While omitting specific strategies for the three factors identified, it is a good starting point for professionals looking for a deeper understanding of immigration issues and where to focus on improving their intake planning processes and prevention programs. Creative readers will find ways to apply the ideas to good use.

Immigrant and Refugee Youth: Migration Journeys and Cultural Values
Rowena Fong
The Prevention Researcher; Nov 2007; 14, 4;
p. 3

Posted on November 10th, 2008 by DeepthiW
Filed under: Books, Global Culture, Politics, School, Uncategorized